Evaluation of the Use of QSARS for Priority Setting and Risk Assessment

Abstract Impending changes in EEC legislation have accelerated the need to define the principles and practical considerations of the use of QSARs in priority setting and risk assessment. It is important to delineate the limitations of this approach and to review whether and how this information should be used in the risk assessment. The value and limitations of QSARs for use in priority setting and risk assessment will not be discussed in detail since the European Chemical Industry Ecology and Toxicology Centre (ECETOC) has only recently established a Task Force to tackle this issue. The terms of reference of the Task Force are: (1) compare the predictions obtained with QSARs to measured data using ECETOC databases and other sources of data and comment on the validity and applicability of such QSARs; (2) identify and review software packages which are available for accessing and using appropriate QSARs; (3) identify those aspects of environmental distribution, fate and effects where the further development of QSARs is desirable and feasible; and (4) provide a scientific basis for ECETOC's contribution to the activities of the European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) in this area. In this short paper, only an initial and personal evaluation is made of when and where to use QSARs in the priority setting and risk assessment process within the regulatory framework. Some critical remarks and suggestions are provided to guide future developments and integration of QSARs in the risk assessment process.     

Benzophenone photoreduction by heteroatom-containing donors

Nanosecond flash photolysis has been carried out on benzophenone solutions in benzene and acetonitrile in presence of oxygen- and sulfur-containing reductants such as anisole, thioanisole, dibutyl sulfide and methyl 2-octyl ether. The quantum yield of ketyl formation is compared to previous results on the quantum yields of the final benzophenone disappearance. This comparison is also related to previous data on benzophenone reduction by nitrogen-containing reductants such as amines and amides and suggests a general mechanism for benzophenone photoreduction by heteroatom-containing donors.     

Reaction de Cycloaddition dipolaire-1,3-des thiazolones et des selenazolones mesoioniques avec l'acetylene dicarboxylate de methyle—II: Influence de la nature des substituants sur la reactivite observee et sur la nature des produits obtenus

Mesoionic thiazolones and selenazolones react with dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate to give thiophenes or pyridones. We show that the reactivity of the mesoionic thiazolones towards dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate may be explained by second order perturbation theory, limited to frontier orbitals. The influence of the temperature and of the nature of the substituants on the evolution of the primary cycloadduct can be explained by a competition between a retro Diels-Alder reaction giving a thiophene and a desulfurisation or a deselenurisation giving a pyridone.     

Phase diagram and X-ray diffraction analysis of the acrylic acid–acrylamide system

The phase diagram of the acrylic acid–acrylamide system as determined by DTA and the supporting x-ray diffraction data are presented. This diagram shows that the system forms a 1 : 1 addition compound which decomposes above 0°C. There is also one eutectic point at a 67 mole-% acrylic acid composition.     

Cyclic imides III. A study of the hydroxy- and methoxyphthalimidoacetic acids and the methyl methoxyphthalimidoacetates

The hydroxy- and methoxyphthalimidoacetic acids and the methyl methoxyphthalimidoacetates have been synthesized. The ultraviolet absorption spectra of these compounds in 95% ethanol, aqueous acid, and aqueous base are discussed. Structures are suggested for the hydroxy- and methoxyphthalamate ions which are formed in basic solution. The Gabriel-Colman rearrangements of methyl 3- and 4 - methoxyphthalimidoacetate give, respectively, 8-methoxy-4-hydroxy-3 - carbomethoxy-1(2H)-isoquinolone (VII) and 6-methoxy-4-hydroxy-3-carbomethoxy-1(2H)-isoquinolone (VIII).     

Water-soluble copolymers. XXV. Ion-binding studies of N-substituted acrylamide copolymers using potentiometric and spectroscopic methods

Spectroscopic and potentiometric methods have been used to study the ionic properties of several N-substituted acrylamide copolymers that display unusual ion-binding character. The ionic groups and the amide groups (both on the same repeating unit and on adjacent acrylamide units) in the copolymers are found to chelate calcium ions. The stabilizing effect of this amide chelation is found to be dependent on copolymer composition. A model is proposed to explain the unusual binding behavior of the acrylamide polymers. This involves the formation of an intramonomer chelate or one with neighboring acrylamide units that prevent precipitation of the polymers.     

The influence of “two-phase” synthesis conditions on blown film extrusion of LDPE

LDPE synthesized under two-phase conditions is known to have a good balance of blown film properties. Good optical properties and high impact strength are characteristic for two-phase LDPE grades. In order to obtain systematic information, LDPE was synthesized at several different pressures with two different melt index levels. Blown film was extruded at different output rates and melt temperatures. The influence on haze and dart drop impact was studied. Two-phase conditions were found to improve haze and dart drop impact and the improvement was impressive, especially for the low melt index grades. By increasing the output rate, the dart drop values were further improved. The influence of melt temperature on dart drop impact goes through an optimum and overall haze decreases with increasing melt temperature. For films made from two-phase grades, dart drop impact decreases as internal haze increases. For corresponding internal haze values, the films made from single-phase grades have lower dart drop values and they are somewhat scattered.     

A new technique for the identification of chloride ions by the formation of chromyl chloride

Summary A new technique is described for the identification of the chloride ion through the formation of chromyl chloride, based on the extraction of the latter with carbon tetrachloride. The identification limit is 2g of chloride. It is possible to carry out the test in the presence of many other anions, including fluoride, which cannot be present when the traditional distillation technique is employed.

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Zusammenfassung Vorgeschlagen wird eine neue Technik zum Chloridnachweis durch Bildung von Chromylchlorid. Dieser Nachweis beruht auf der Extraktion des Chromylchlorids mit Tetrachlorkohlenstoff. Die Nachweisgrenze liegt bei 2g Chlorid, wobei die Möglichkeit besteht, den Test auch in Gegenwart von Fluorid durchzuführen, das bei Anwendung der üblichen Destillationsmethoden nicht anwesend sein darf.

     

Potential energy curve of 1Σ+ Li+/He

The potential energy curve of the system Li⁺/He has been determined with moderately large basis sets for 0.5 ? r ? 10.0 a₀ both at the SCF level and including correlation. The present SCF results predict a deeper well (?0.00248 au) at a smaller r(3.66 a₀) compared with earlier calculations. Correlation deepens the well further (?0.00274 au), but pulls it inward slightly (3.63 a₀). In the repulsive part the calculated curve lies above the experimental one, especially at shorter distances. A similar behavior has been noted in the systems Li⁺/H₂, Li⁺/CO and Li⁺/N₂, suggesting that the experimental determinations may underestimate the interaction in this region by 10–20%.